


Drop What I'm Doing and Sit Beside You

by tiniestmite



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25241047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiniestmite/pseuds/tiniestmite
Summary: Carlos knows he's sick yet he decides against calling out. Fortunately he has an awesome partner and an incredible boyfriend that know how to talk some sense into him.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 13
Kudos: 150





	Drop What I'm Doing and Sit Beside You

**Author's Note:**

> CW for brief mentions of nausea near the beginning
> 
> Features Jillian/brilliantbanshee's OC Mya - because she's so cool and I just had to include her as Carlos' partner!

Carlos knew from the moment he woke up this morning with a dull ache behind his eyes that it was going to be a rough day. In all honesty, he probably should have called out of his shift. The symptoms came on suddenly yet strong last night, causing him to get barely any sleep. Instead, he decided to tough it out.

And now, sitting in the patrol car on his lunch break with Mya, the dull ache in his head has evolved into an intense pounding. He tries to take a few bites of his sandwich but the ham and cheese combination only makes him nauseous. So he gives up and rests his throbbing head in his hands, pressing the heel of his palms against his eyes.

When he finally looks back up, he notices his partner, Mya, giving him a look.

“What?” he asks.

“You should have just called out today.”

“I’m fine, Mya.”

“I’ll believe you if you can finish your sandwich without getting sick.”

Carlos glares at her. As he’s about to fire back, their banter is interrupted by the crackling of their radio alerting them to a car accident a few blocks away. Carlos grabs the radio and responds that they are two minutes out before flipping on the light bar and siren, and speeding off.

When they arrive at the scene, the 126 already have the accident covered, so Mya and Carlos direct their attention to crowd control. 

Making his way over to the scene, he manages to catch TK’s eye and give him a small smile. Even though Carlos may feel like he’s dying right now, running into his boyfriend on calls is always certain to make the day a little brighter.

“How’s that going?” Mya asks, pulling Carlos from his thoughts.

“It’s nice.” Carlos blushes, whether that’s the thought of TK or the fever remains to be seen. “I mean, we basically spend every second both of us are not on shift together and things are just going good.”

“Good.” Mya smiles and nods at him. “I’m happy for you guys.”

They break off in separate directions to control the crowd. As Carlos gets closer to his section, the noise of the group, on top of the blaring equipment the 126 is using to get the accident victims out, only makes Carlos’ head feel worse. He wasn’t even sure that was possible, but now the intense throb has progressed to a piercing pain. He sways on his feet but catches himself, trying to shake it off. He has a job to do and he refuses to let a little minor sickness get in the way of that.

He starts to politely ask the crowd that had gathered around the scene to take a few steps back and allow the fire department to do their job. He glances over to Mya, expecting her to be doing the same on the other side but instead he finds her chatting with TK. He goes to shake his head in disapproval but the movement only makes him dizzy. 

He squeezes his eyes shut, waiting for the blinding pain to pass. Before he can get them back open, he feels a soft hand on his back. 

“Hey baby, how about I take you home?”

Carlos turns around and squints open his eyes to be met with TK’s concerned gaze. “What did Mya say to you?”

“She really didn’t have to say much, I could tell you were feeling off today. But we’re both worried about you.”

“Well I appreciate your concern but unfortunately we both have a job to do right now.”

“Well we’re just about finished here and I already talked to my dad and he’s letting me leave early to take you home. Mya is going to talk to your captain. We’ve got it covered, okay?”

Carlos wants to argue with him more. He doesn’t necessarily enjoy his friends going out of their way so he can have a day off. Plenty of people work through sick days, why should he get special treatment?

Instead, he gives TK a small nod, prompting his boyfriend to take his hand and lead him back over to the patrol car.

* * *

Carlos tried to insist that TK should ride back to the firehouse with his crew and that way they could both drive home and meet at Carlos’ house. TK however would not hear it. Instead he proposed that he ride back with Carlos and Mya. That way Carlos wouldn’t have to drive himself home. When Carlos pointed out that TK would then be stuck wearing his uniform for the remainder of the day, TK just shrugged it off saying he would get someone to bring him a change of clothes when their shift ended.

By the time they get settled in his house, Carlos is exhausted. When it was clear that TK was making Carlos go home and would not be taking “no” for an answer, Carlos allowed the symptoms he was suppressing since he woke up to fully overtake his body. Every muscle aches and he can’t figure out if he wants to curl up under a blanket to get himself to stop shaking or take a cold shower in the hopes that it brings his fever down.

He all but collapses onto the couch the minute they walk in the door as TK bee-lines towards his kitchen.

“What kind of soup do you have?”

“You’re making me soup?”

TK perks up at Carlos’ question and chuckles. “Yeah, that’s kind of what you do for people who are sick.”

“There should be some cans in the cabinet. I don’t care what kind.” 

Carlos smiles, watching his boyfriend maneuver around his kitchen with ease. The thought that he knows his way around Carlos’ house so well after such a short time together fills Carlos with warmth.

Knowing the soup may take a while to cook, Carlos decides to rest his eyes for just a few minutes. Or at least he planned to only keep them closed for a few minutes but he must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knows, he feels a cool hand pressed against his forehead.

His eyes flutter open, meeting TK’s worried gaze.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he says, biting down on his lip. “You feel really warm though. Do you have a thermometer?”

“In the bathroom, medicine cabinet,” Carlos meekly gets out.

TK nods and hurries off, quickly returning with a thermometer in hand which he presses under Carlos’ tongue. He pulls it out when it beeps and reads the number out loud. “102 degrees,” he states with concern.

Carlos didn’t think it was that high but then again, this is the first time his temperature has been taken tonight. The thought had crossed his mind when he woke up this morning but he brushed it off and convinced himself he would be fine.

With TK’s concerned eyes still on him, all he says is “oh.”

“Have you taken any medicine yet?”

Carlos shrugs. “I took some Advil but that was hours ago.”

“Okay,” TK nods, getting up to make his way back to the bathroom before returning with two more tablets and a glass of water.

“Thanks,” Carlos says, taking the medicine and a small sip of water. 

TK takes a seat next to him, and allows Carlos to rest his head on his shoulder. “The soup is done but I put it in the fridge. You can heat it up later if you don’t want it right now.”

Carlos mumbles an “okay” into TK’s shoulder.

“Do you want to watch a movie or something?”

“I don’t think I can stay awake. But you can turn on something if you want.”

TK chooses  _ Coco _ and Carlos lets himself drift off to the sound of Miguel explaining his family's history. 

The next time he wakes up, he is no longer leaning on TK but instead his snug shoulder has been replaced with a slightly less comfortable pillow. He can also hear TK talking to someone from across the room.

“How is he doing?” The familiar female voice asks.

“I don’t think his fever has broken yet even with the medicine, but he’s been asleep for awhile now so that’s good.”

Opening his eyes, he spots TK and Marjan standing in the kitchen. Seeing that TK is holding a fresh change of clothes in hand, Carlos puts it together that he must have decided on asking Marjan to stop by after her shift ended. Carlos had felt bad that TK was stuck wearing his uncomfortable Austin FD uniform after taking him home so he’s glad that TK stuck to his word and did get someone to bring him some more comfortable clothes.

“Correction, I was asleep,” Carlos states, causing both of them to jump slightly.

TK looks at him guilty. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“It’s fine,” Carlos shrugs him off. 

“How are you feeling?” Marjan asks as she and TK walk over to where Carlos is still seated on the couch.

“Fine, I guess.”

TK scoffs. “You don’t look any better. You know you don’t have to put on a front for us right?”

It was true. Carlos didn’t really feel much better than he did earlier. However, he still didn’t appreciate being called out on it by his boyfriend.

Marjan must have sensed the awkwardness that hung in the room because she gave him and TK a small smile. “Okay, I’m going to head out. Call me if you need anything?”

In true gentleman fashion, TK takes the time to walk her to the door and says a quick “Thanks Marj,” before turning his attention back to Carlos. 

“I’m going to get changed,” he says and makes his exit.

Carlos sighs and follows him into the bedroom. “Can we cuddle? I think that might make me feel better,” he says, giving him a sheepish smile.

TK nods and grabs his hand, leading him to the bed. Most of the time when they cuddle, Carlos tends to be the big spoon. However, today TK takes that position, wrapping his arms around Carlos and letting him be the small spoon.

When they are settled in, TK is the first to break the silence. “I’m sorry if I sounded confrontational back there. I just don’t like seeing you build walls around yourself. I want you to feel like you can be honest with me, about anything.”

“I don’t know,” Carlos responds. “I guess I’m just so used to acting like I’m fine that I forget that I don’t have to do that with you.”

TK nods. “I understand that.”

“I will try to do better though with letting you in, okay?” Carlos says, turning over his shoulder and leaning to plant a kiss on TK’s cheek.

TK blushes and smiles. “You should probably try and get some rest.”

“Yeah, okay,” Carlos nods. 

They stay like that, tangled in each other's arms for the rest of the day; Long past after Carlos’ fever breaks.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Family and Genus" by Shakey Graves (will ever title a fic that isn't inspired by a shakey song? that remains to be seen)
> 
> Beta'd by favorite person, Max/terramous
> 
> I love comments and kudos!
> 
> Talk to me about how I can't stop whumping Carlos on tumblr - @officerxyes


End file.
